Current:Home > MyMatt Kuchar bizarrely stops playing on 72nd hole of Wyndham Championship -MarketStream
Matt Kuchar bizarrely stops playing on 72nd hole of Wyndham Championship
View
Date:2025-04-19 09:42:09
Aaron Rai won his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, claiming a two-stroke win at the Wyndham Championship.
But the tournament didn't officially end as darkness fell on Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
That's because Matt Kuchar bizarrely stopped playing after hitting his tee shot on the 18th hole, opting to mark his ball in the pine straw 212 yards from the hole and walk the course with the other players in the last group as they completed their rounds.
"It has been a really bizarre sequence of events," said CBS Sports analyst Trevor Immelman as the network's broadcast came to a close.
Kuchar led the tournament after 36 holes, but was out of contention at 11-under when he stepped to the 18th tee to conclude a marathon, 36-hole day stemming from weather delays due to Tropical Storm Debby.
With the sun already set and visibility declining, tournament officials informed Kuchar, Chad Ramey and Max Greyserman that rather than blow the horn to suspend play, they would be allowed to finish the hole then or complete it the next day.
In an apparent attempt to finish quickly, Kuchar unknowingly hit into the group ahead of him, one that included Rai – who led Greyserman by one stroke at the time.
"Why did he tee off on 18 when the fairway wasn’t clear? To me that was the egregious error," Golf Channel’s Paige Mackenzie later said. "It was completely disrespectful."
After Kuchar's ball landed left of the fairway, he informed officials he would finish his round Monday morning – even though he had no chance of advancing to the PGA Tour's playoffs. As things turned out, Rai birdied the final hole to push his lead to two strokes and Greyserman closed with a par to finish second.
As the sun rose again on Monday, Kuchar was the only player back out on the course to make the results official.
He hit his second shot on the green and parred the hole to finish in a tie for 12th, earning him $134,695.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
veryGood! (571)
Related
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- The sports world is still built for men. This elite runner wants to change that
- Dancing With the Stars Pro Witney Carson Welcomes Baby No. 2
- Debunking Climate Change Myths: A Holiday Conversation Guide
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny's Latest Date Night Proves They're In Sync
- Michigan County Embraces Giant Wind Farms, Bucking a Trend
- Warning for Seafood Lovers: Climate Change Could Crash These Important Fisheries
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Researchers Develop Cerium Reactor to Make Fuel from Sunlight
Ranking
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Ultra rare and endangered sperm whale pod spotted off California coast in once a year opportunity
- Solar Acquisition Paying Off for Powertool Giant Hilti
- China's COVID vaccines: Do the jabs do the job?
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- The FDA finalizes rule expanding the availability of abortion pills
- Lisa Rinna Reacts to Andy Cohen’s Claims About Her Real Housewives Exit
- Proof Matty Healy Is Already Bonding With Taylor Swift’s Family Amid Budding Romance
Recommendation
Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
Save Time and Money Between Salon Visits With This Root Touch-Up Spray That Has 8,700+ 5-Star Reviews
Pete Buttigieg on Climate Change: Where the Candidate Stands
Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny's Latest Date Night Proves They're In Sync
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
Ohio’s Struggling Manufacturing Sector Finds Clean Energy Clientele
A U.K. medical office mistakenly sent patients a text message with a cancer diagnosis
7 tiny hacks that can improve your to-do list